Do I need counseling?

Everyone experiences occasional problems or setbacks in the course of their life. Most of us are able to move through these obstacles by leaning on support from our friends, our family, our employment, or other resources. We may rely on our own personal resources and work through a problem using what we have learned in our past experiences.

Occasionally we get stuck and we need a little help from a trained professional. I am only a phone call away for you to schedule an appointment to see how I can help you.

How does talking about a problem help?

Most of us feel much better if we can talk about something that bothers us. The technical term for feeling better after talking about something is called “catharsis.” Another important part of talking about a problem is that it makes our brain put a feeling or a thought that we have into words. When we use words to describe something, we force our brain to begin to look at the experience in a more objective fashion. This helps us look at the situation from a more rational point of view, rather than remaining in a very subjective mood about it. We will still have strong feelings, but it helps settle us down and begin looking for solutions. Counseling is a solution-oriented process.

There is no magic in counseling. We may face difficult choices to move us beyond our current dilemmas. We may need to change old habits. We may need to learn new behaviors. We may need to learn to manage our symptoms in a way that will let us attain a sense of contented wholeness. If you and I work together, we can get you to a better, more fulfilling place.

My practice is limited to adults (age 19 years old or older) unless you come in as a family (at least one parent or legal guardian and at least one child under 19 years old). If you are seeking counseling for a minor (under 19 years old), other counselors are available for treatment at Lincoln Behavioral Health Clinic at the same telephone number listed below for my contact information.